The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-23
THE CITY'SHONOREDDEAD
REPRESENTATIVE MEETING OF PRO-
FEssIoNAL AND BUSINESS MEN.
Resolutions OF Respect and sympathy
from Leading Organizations on
the Death of Judge Ellet
and Col. Montgomery.

man, preSlueu, anu f. u. os'oh "N''" '
secretary The meeting was called to Or
der by Judge Morgan. /
The committe ON resolutions appointed
at the bar meeting, through Judge Z. W.
Heiskell reported as follows;
BAR RESOLUTIONS.
at isa melancholy task TO announce the
death of an eminent man; TO commemorate
his virtues is a grateful duty. In the death
OF the Hon. Henry Thomas Ellct this task
and duty meet His death was rs consplc,,
uous as his life; the one as dramatic and
grevious MS the other was pure and true
'iIe was born IN Salem, N. j., on the 9Th
day of March, 1912, and died in Memphis,
Tenn, on the 18th day OF October, 1887, in
the presence Of assembled thousands, who
had lust listened TO his eminently appro.
pirate, eloquent and patriotic address OF
welcome 10 the President OF the United
States. As the great Lord Chatham fell
diving on the floor OF the House OF Lords,
lifting up his voice against the dismem-
berment of this ancient and noble mon
archy,' so this great man fell dying, assur.
ing the chief magistrate Of this country OF
the indestructibility OF this great Ameri-
can union.
ellis death was a fitting close TO life
memorable for its complete symmetry and
eminent usefulness. He graduated ut
Princeton with the highest honors, and at
the age OF twenty-one was admitted 10 the
bar. When twenty-five years old, he lett
his native State and found home In Mis-
sissippi. He was twice married. Two
| children by hiR first marriage and iour by
tho second marriage, with their mother,
mourn his irrcparable loss.
Judge Elicit went TO Mississippi when
| Sharkey, Prentiss, Holt, Quitman and
Guion were famous. In such consteila-
ton the star of Henry I. Elicit shone with
equal brilliancc and longer sustained lus-
| ter. His ripe scholarship was rs unosten-
tatious as Il was elegant, and his charming
manners lent grace and beauty 10 an In
| tegrity Of character and thorough honesty
of purpose that made him the true christian
gentleman, with all that this implies His
| christian walk was consistent, but void
| of harshness or bigotry. lie was not only
fully conyenant with the ancient classics,
| but with the whole range Of modern liter
AZURE MS well. His genial and cultured
intellect enjoyed M thoroughly the beau
ties Of Horace and Virgil and Homer, as Of
Dickens and Thackcry and Shakespeare.
There was scarcely n remarkable passage
Of ancient or modern learning that he did
not have at his tongues end, yet his unas-
Stunning modesty and good taste never al
lowed them To obtrude indignantly in con-
yersation. His wit was genuine, but with
| out sting. What he said WINS always APP
propriate, chnste, ornate. His well stored
mind was thoroughly equipped, his moral
perceptions distinct and unclouded by
preiudiccs or passion; his mental vision of
right and wrong keen and unerring, and
his innate sense OF truth and justice 10 ex-
act that no easily applied their touchstonc
"a all questions that arose for his decision,
whether M man OF jurist. Had Judge
iJlcti defined genius, he would have
said: Genius means hard work, constant
work, thorough work His life
was an excmpliication Of this definition.
His knowledge Of the law was profound,
and his analysis Of his cases clear, concise,
mastcrful. His Arguments before courts
and iuries were admirable for elegance OF
diction, pcrspicuity Of statement and
iorceiul advocacy. What he said was
always well said, what he did always well
done. Whether in post prandium
speech or an intricate case In the highest
tribunals Of the land, Judge Elicit was
always ready. lie always did his best,
and his best few could attain unto. With.
out egotism, without vanity, full Of charity
for Others and sympathy with all, he stood
the peer OF any lawyer and Of any man.
No wonder then that In 1876 he was
elected 10 I'LL the unexpircd term Of JET.
icn,on Davis in the United States Congress,
or that there lac won golden opinions
from all. No wonder that his fellow
citizens offered him the place again when
he returned 90 them; or that they honorcd
him repeatedly with seat in the Senate oI
Mississippi And no wonder that he de.
clincd reelection Ia Congress. The law
was his profession; in that he had emf
ncntly fitted himself 10 shine, and did
shine ~ few ever did. lie was equal "a
any occasion The inimitably suayity and
grace with which lac presided nj a bar din.
ncr were only cxcclled by the dignificd
courtesy and ability with which he pre-.
sided as Judge. His life left liz impress,
not only upon the statute law Of Missis-ip.
pi, but on is Judicial history. In 1858 lac
was elected 10 the supreme bench Of that
state, and his opinions are marked with
the same lucidily and force that character.
lied his professional and legislative careers.
During the war, President Davis Offered
him place in the Confederate States Cab.
met, which he declined. In 1867 lac NJ
signed his place ON the supreme bench OF
Mississippi aud removed 10 Memphis.
Here he resumed the practice Of law, iirst
Ia partnership with Judge W. l.. Harris
and Hon. James Phelan, next with Estes
4 jackson, and lastly with Mr.. John T..
Houston. Easily he held the front
rank in his profession, until called 10y
his brethren and the people 10 preside
over our chanccry court. Words fail 90 de.
scribe the efficient manner In which he M
ably dispatched, thcrc, the public busig
mess. The ease with which be graspcd the
points Of "a case, the charming dignity with
which he presided, the patience with
which he listened, aud the impartialty
and wisdom with which he decided the
multform and often intricate questions
that came before him-thcse cannot be
described. We appreciate them the more
because ~ oxoclcntly well done rs 10 be
beyond description. Scarcely day passed
hut what some lawyer, whether he lost or
won. would describe the judge rs 'ad-
mimblc' There were no Earring elements
in this grci mans life; all were blended
In harmonious whole. Every one cs-
tcemcd, honorcd aud loved him. lie came
nearer doing and saying the right thing nj
the right tune than any man We ever
knew. lie never did or said little thing,
because his Il h born soul could harbor
no mean thought. Ills chiyalrous spirit
would have brookcd no insult, yet such
was the well poised dignity Of his character
and aiiability Of his b. airing that no one
but a misccant would have offered one.
"Bui the stately proportions Of his lie
m citizen, a scholar lawyer, legislator
and Judge, wcr fully cquallcd by the
| ia, hpat,nI a al fafhor uua aiWava M l.